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What usually comes to mind when thinking about Northern Vietnam? - Hanoi in autumn, the scent of green rice flakes; terraced rice fields or the treacherous roads surrounded by mountains, hills, rivers and streams… If you’ve ever thought of Northern Vietnam in that way, let Adrian Anh Tuan and Son Doan reveal to you… a brand new horizon.
Northern Vietnam offers a vast landscape and fertile ground for adventure seekers. However, the unique "essence" of the North isn't easily grasped by everyone in just one or two days or one or two visits. To be safe, people often seek out familiar places, distinctive features, and well-known delicacies for their first trip to the North.
Amidst familiar colors, Adrian Anh Tuan and Son Doan's unique travel picture emerges like a refreshing breeze invigorating the northern summer. The seven-day trip of designer Adrian Anh Tuan and his partner is succinctly summarized as "Northern Vietnam – The Return."
The summer in Northern Vietnam becomes truly special during the return journey of designer Adrian Anh Tuan and his partner Son Doan.
The trip took place in mid-June, when the Covid-19 situation in Vietnam was stabilizing, and many localities were beginning to stimulate tourism. “This summer is special because Vietnam is one of the few countries that successfully fought Covid-19 (in June, before the community infections in Da Nang – ed.)… This is also an opportunity for Vietnamese people to explore this beautiful country and contribute a small part to support domestic tourism,” Adrian Anh Tuan shared.
On this trip, designer Adrian Anh Tuan chose four destinations, including some brand-new spots on the Northern Vietnam tourism map: Chuong My. The 7-day itinerary begins with the first stop at Note Cafe, once world-famous for its sticky notes carrying various stories.
At The Note Coffee, all four floors are covered with millions of handwritten notes from visitors from all over the world.
Located in the "special zone" of the Old Quarter, right next to Hoan Kiem Lake (Hanoi), The Note Coffee lives up to its name. All four floors are covered with millions of handwritten notes from tourists from all over the world. This is also the location where the couple Adrian Anh Tuan and Son Doan took their most romantic photos.
After enjoying egg coffee and many delicious Hanoi specialties such as garlic-fried duck and vermicelli with tofu, the couple set off for Bat Trang – an ancient pottery village on the banks of the Red River in Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi. Here, they experienced the famous pottery-making craft of Northern Vietnam for the first time. MTK Adrian Anh Tuan readily expressed his admiration for the perseverance and meticulousness of the artisans.
Bat Trang pottery village appears with a fresher, more vibrant color. It turns out that a traditional, ancient craft village also has so many beautiful "check-in" spots.
On the second day, the designer began their journey to a new location: a homestay in Chuong My district, more than an hour's drive from the center of Hanoi. The house, named Rùa's House, features the distinctive architecture of traditional Northern Vietnamese houses. Particularly noteworthy is its location on a mountaintop, offering a sense of complete isolation from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The old house has three rooms, with a small fish pond in front, creating a picturesque setting.
They both enjoyed relaxing moments and peaceful moments.
Unexpectedly, there's such a romantic destination on the outskirts of Hanoi.
After enjoying hearty meals prepared by their housekeeper, the designer couple set off to climb Tram Mountain, about 20 minutes from their home. The mountain is quite easy to climb, with breathtaking scenery, and has become a popular spot for young people to take photos and check in.
On the third day, the couple traveled four hours to Legacy Yen Tu Resort (Quang Ninh), where designer Adrian Anh Tuan had previously held a fashion show. As a familiar location holding many memories for the two, this time the couple were determined to find unique angles to ensure they captured photos that "no other visitor has ever taken."
One of their favorite spots at the resort was the photogenic swimming pool. To get the perfect picture, they both had to wake up at dawn, just as the sun was rising.
No one recognized the quiet, traditional Yen Tu...
Unique camera angles create unforgettable photos.
Bidding farewell to Yen Tu, the couple got back in the car and headed straight to Ninh Binh. While not an unfamiliar destination in Northern Vietnam, Adrian made sure to visit during the rice harvest season to experience Ninh Binh at its most beautiful.
Climbing to the mountaintop offers breathtaking, dreamlike scenery, and it's also a chance to admire the stunning beauty of Vietnam, a country many may have overlooked for a long time.
The next day, the couple woke up early to begin their journey exploring Tam Coc - Bich Dong, two famous scenic spots in Ninh Binh. The designer advised tourists visiting Ninh Binh in the summer to start their journey early in the morning to avoid the heat, as the scenery is clearer and people are more enthusiastic at this time.
An old house in Ninh Binh was unexpectedly discovered when a couple... got lost.
Adrian's fresh perspective on his return to exploring Northern Vietnam is evident in every small detail. He not only visits brand-new locations but also discovers fascinating things in familiar places. Scenes stumbled upon during a trip; the old riverside house of a farmer… these seemingly ordinary, overlooked details become the inspiration for the incredibly poetic photographs of this travel-loving couple.
During this trip, Adrian Anh Tuan and Son Doan together painted a picture of a Northern Vietnamese summer that was both simple and authentic, yet also novel and interesting. Adrian shared that, in fact, no place becomes boring if we know how to refresh it. Taking the time to learn and discover things that few people notice is sometimes the "true love" of a trip.
